What are they and where do they come from?

The Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) is found in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and mountain regions of Yemen, so it is sometimes called the Yemen Chameleon.

How big are they?

They can be about two feet long, with half of this tail.

How long do they live?

In captivity, they can live around seven years.

What kind of a tank do I need?

We recommend a mesh flexarium for the Yemen chameleon because they don't need a lot of humidity and the mesh surround stops them from feeling stressed. Some people do prefer a vivarium so it's down to individual choice (there are plenty of great models from Exo Terra and VivExotic to choose from). Sometimes seeing its own reflection can cause stress to the chameleon. Our office Panther Chameleon is kept in a glass terrarium with regular trips around the office.

What sort of light heat does it need?

You should provide a glow lamp with a moderate to high UVB output, similar to that of shady environments such as rain forests and other tropical locations such as a Repti Glo. We also recommend a ceramic reptile heat lamp controlled with a thermostat.

What else do I need in my tank?

Chameleons are an arboreal reptile and love to climb so you should provide vines, plants and ladders. Chameleons don't like drinking still water - they prefer to drink from waterfalls, rainwater and from dew on leaves so instead of a water dish you could consider a water dripper system.

What does it eat?

Crickets are part of a staple diet – you could also consider wax worms and mealworms once a week as a treat.

What are the positives about Chameleons?

They are great fun to watch feed – especially as they have such a long flicking tongue. They also change colour, typically from yellow to dark green.

What are the negatives about Chameleons?

They can be quite grumpy and surly as pets and need regular misting, particularly in a mesh terrarium.